Who We're Not
by Tribi Ponyfeathers
Summary: Marinette fell in love with a boy at age nine. He mysteriously left Paris at age twelve. Now she buries her sadness in hacking. Always undetected, under the name Ladybug. Except, one day she gets noticed. By another hacker. He seems to be exactly what her hurt heart needs to get over Adrien, her three-year longstanding crush. But is Chat Noir all that he appears to be? Or trouble?


Marinette's POV:

* * *

"Adrien. Hi. It's been awhile."

"Yeah. Been, what, four years? I've missed being your friend, Marinette."

"Me too."

* * *

That was our first conversation after he had left for five years.

No explanation, nothing.

I used to like him, too.

* * *

To get over Adrien, my twelve year old crush going strong for three years, I turned online.

I tried to get over him leaving by stalking various chat room I learned how to hack into.

Nobody minded.

I was always civil, and everyone always assumed I was a friend of a friend.

Nobody noticed I was an infiltrator.

Except...

* * *

Marinette's Computer:

 **this is Chat's posts**

this is Ladybug's posts

* * *

 **PM: You don't belong here.**

PM: Yes I do. I'm Lady Wifi's friend.

(It's true. She PM'd me to meet irl and it turns out we're best friends in the real world)

 **PM: You still hacked your way here.**

 **PM: It's not like I mind, though. You're interesting.**

PM: You're not going to turn me in?

 **PM: Perish the thought. I'm just interested how a girl got good enough at hiding who she was and at hacking people to get into so many chats.**

 **PM: You're what's known on the Internet as 'Ladybug'. That's your callsign, isn't it? Your username every single time?**

PM: No!

 **PM: You vary it, of course. Spotted Princess, Princess, Koi Fish, Lady Luck.**

 **PM: Always having to do with good fortune.**

 **PM: I'm like you.**

 **PM: Sorta.**

 **PM: I hack chats because I'm lonely and need a little fun.**

 **PM: You most likely do it because you're bored.**

 **PM: Actually, this is the first chat I've been in that I was actually invited to since I was forced to move here.**

 **PM: Am I right?**

PM: Wow. You got me. Square in the chest. I'm dead.

PM: How about we blow this popsicle stand for a better chat, mister...

 **PM: Chat Noir, at your service, Ladybug.**

PM: _Click me..._

* * *

Adrien's Computer

 _this is Chat's posts..._

 **this is Ladybug's posts**

* * *

 _PM: What is this place?_

 **PM: Have you created an avatar yet?**

 _PM: Obviously._

 **PM: Have you bought what I asked you to?**

 _PM: Yep!_

 **PM: Plug it in your computer/ phone in the headphone jack.**

 **PM: Then lie down on your bed/ couch/ floor... wherever.**

 **PM: Then put the glasses thingy on your head.**

 **PM: Then say 'Start Up', but quietly, so you don't overload the sensors.**

 **PM: See you in a second!**

* * *

Chat's POV

* * *

"Whoa!" I shout, looking around at this digital world. I look down at my body, and it looks exactly like my avatar's clothes, but somehow tailored to fit me. I reach a light skinned hand up to touch my bright green hair.

"Exactly." I spin around to see a short-ish red-haired girl. She's wearing a red dress with a bell skirt on an empire waist. Her legs are almost buglike, smooth and shiny. They're actually really nice boots. She has a bob cut, stylish, but not overbearing like my 'friend' back 'home'.

Her figure, though.

Wow.

She extends her beautifully slender hand out to shake mine. I oblige.

"Name's Ladybug. And yours, sir?" She giggles slightly from beneath her black mask.

"My name's Chat Noir, M'lady Ladybug. How are you doing this purrfect afternoon?" I reply back, grinning cheekily.

She literally starts rolling on the ground in laughter.

"M'lady Ladybug, are you meowright? You look pawsitively pawful!" I say, laughing now too.

She stops laughing abruptly, and sits up, staring into space.

* * *

Marinette's POV

* * *

Cat puns.

Adrien always used to make cat puns.

* * *

Chat's POV

* * *

"M'lady! Are you okay?" I asked, with genuine concern.

She waved me off. "It's fine! A friend of mine just always used to use cat puns. You reminded me of him for a minute. That's all." She sat up then, dusting off nonexistent pixelated dust off her dress.

Her smile is absolutely beautiful.


End file.
